Critical Alert--The U.S. House Bill that could Ban Your Pet!

Saturday, 11 April 2009

Critical Alert--The U.S. House Bill that could Ban Your Pet!
Are you a resident of the United States?
Do you have a hamster? A betta fish? A gerbil? A ball python? Or any other pet that originates outside of the U.S.?
Then this bill WILL affect you...in a very bad way.
If this monster passes, such pets would be banned. Those who owned these pets before the ban could keep them, but sale, transport, and breeding would be illegal.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-669
Think about how many businesses would go under...small businesses who specialize in birds and reptiles, companies that manufacture pet accessories, habitats, and foods...do the sponsors of this bill realize the economic impact this would have? The emotional impact would be devastating, too. The American Gerbil Society and other special interest groups would cease to exist, classrooms would be deprived of their class pets...
...no more gerbies...no more hammies...
...my heart would be broken...and so would the hearts of pet lovers all over the country. :(
Want to do something to prevent this travesty of a bill from taking away our pets? Check out "NO HR 669" here: http://www.nohr669.com/index.htm. Send an e-mail to your Congressman/woman. Let's stop this resolution in its tracks!
Edited to add: I've put together my own counter-offensive in the form of a music video starring my beloved furbabies--most of whom would be banned under this measure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOZqJuIzcU0
There are many more Youtube videos regarding this subject as well, which means that the word IS getting out. Let's fight this!

recommend
recs 15
share
email
sent 0

Comments (51)

browse comments:
next ›
last »

Holy cow, they better not...

I sent an e-mail to them as soon as I read this. THEY SERIOUSLY BETTER NOT! I wanna be able to buy gerbils and rats for MY kids someday!

thanks for posting this--I don't really pay attention to the news or American culture anymore, so I never would have known about this until it was too late.
- 4/11/2009 9:48 PM
- ai_shitemo (message)
- reply
@ai_shitemo - I didn't hear about it until a friend of mine--who is a dedicated reptile enthusiast--posted a link on her DeviantArt page. Yes...there are problems with loose pythons in Florida and such...but don't carpet-bomb ALL exotic pets to try and control it!

I want my kids to know the joys of raising gerbils too... Rats probably won't be affected...or mice, but hamsters, gerbils, Guinea pigs, sugar gliders...the list goes on...
- 4/11/2009 11:20 PM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
I really don't want this to happen. I love my hamsters so much and I would be upset not to be able to buy hamsters anymore.

Would you mind if I recommend this post so the people on my friends list can know about this as well?
- 4/12/2009 12:10 AM
- ChainGangSoldier619 (message)
- reply
@ChainGangSoldier619 - I certainly don't mind. The more who know, the better!
- 4/12/2009 10:28 AM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
What if guinea pigs and hamsters are US born and bred? All the ones we have had over the years have been from local breeders, not from outside the US.
- 4/12/2009 9:58 PM
- musicmom60 (message)
- reply
Gosh. This is horrible.
I think that if they want to ban animals from being sold and etc then they should try taking the animal from the Obama's.
- 4/13/2009 2:50 AM
- LilSweetJew (message)
- reply
I actually agree with the bill, but I had never considered the economic consequences.

So now I'm goint to go ponder....
- 4/13/2009 2:57 AM
- lotta_valdez (message)
- reply
@musicmom60 - So far they haven't made that distinction. In the text of the bill they make a list of exceptions, and so far domesticated rodents are not among them...
- 4/13/2009 10:01 AM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
@lotta_valdez - There are some things about the bill that I support--like banning the import of big cats, primates and such, but the part that has me up in arms is the fact that they are carpet-bombing all exotic pets. I want my kids to be able to have the joy of raising gerbils just like I did...and if this bill passes as-is without modifications, they will never get that chance.
- 4/13/2009 10:03 AM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
@LilSweetJew - Y'know, feral dogs and cats cause a lot of havoc in the inner cities...why aren't they being targeted?
- 4/13/2009 10:09 AM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
I've never heard something so stupid. Our country is really going crazy!
- 4/13/2009 10:40 AM
- Veronica_Leigh (message)
- reply
wow
- 4/13/2009 10:46 AM
- seriously_meredith (message)
- reply
Wow, Thats sad. My boyfriend has a hamster. I just had to call him and tell him about this, he had no idea.
- 4/13/2009 11:44 AM
- nikip296 (message)
- reply
@nikip296 - It's really disturbing. Hopefully there are enough people out there who will raise a stink that they'll HAVE to change the wording on this bill to protect domesticated rodent pets...
- 4/13/2009 12:00 PM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
@Veronica_Leigh - Yeah...you'd think they would have better things to worry about, oh, like the homeless, our economy, etc...
- 4/13/2009 12:02 PM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
Seriously..with all the more serious issues they could be addressing we are going to target certain pets? Someone has way too much time and money on their hands.
- 4/13/2009 4:35 PM
- Pariahtich (message)
- reply
@Pariahtich - my thoughts exactly. Apparently they would rather ban certain pets than end the homeless problem...
- 4/13/2009 4:52 PM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
I heard it on a rat forum... Mind if I copy some of what you wrote and blog it? Just want to spread awareness too.
- 4/13/2009 5:03 PM
- MakouBaby (message)
- reply
@squeakersquad - Hope so. That'd just be terrible.
- 4/13/2009 6:47 PM
- nikip296 (message)
- reply
@MakouBaby - Please do--spread the word!
- 4/13/2009 8:19 PM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
This is horrible : (
- 4/15/2009 7:53 PM
- awholenewbeginning (message)
- reply
More regulation, more regulation! Back off, Government. You work for US!!!
- 4/15/2009 8:06 PM
- lonelywanderer2 (message)
- reply
@lonelywanderer2 - Amen to that!
- 4/15/2009 9:38 PM
- squeakersquad (message)
- reply
GAY.
- 4/15/2009 10:21 PM
- lovechartreuse (message)
- reply
bengal tigers owners, be afraid... be very afraid.
- 4/15/2009 10:28 PM
- slamjoe (message)
- reply